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Posts Tagged ‘United Kingdom’

The Ikon Gallery In Birmingham, England

March 10th, 2011 No comments

Birmingham is a cosmopolitan city in the English county of the West Midlands, it is a really popular destination for city breaks. The city has an incredible selection of first class attractions including many churches which have Grade I status and other impressive buildings as well as many museums and galleries, including Birmingham’s Ikon Gallery.

The Ikon Gallery in Birmingham, England, is an art gallery which specialises in contemporary art which can be found in the building which was once the Oozells Street Board School in Brindleyplace, however it had not always has such a prestigious local.

The Ikon was founded in nineteen sixty four by Angus Skene and 4 artists. The 4 artists were; Robert Groves, Jesse Bruton, Robert Groves and Sylvani Merilion. Skene had bought a piece of art by David Prentice and the two of them discussed the endless problems faced by local artists, including the lack of venues and general support. The conversation led to the creation of Ikon which was to be a “gallery without walls”.

Angus initially funded the project, which consisted of exhibitions in such unusual venues as post offices and cinemas in a motorcycle sidecar, the idea being to increase the accessibility of art to the general public. To reduce costs staffing was by the founding artists and family who did it for free. In 1965 the Ikon Gallery was given a glass kiosk in the Bull Ring shopping centre.

During the next two decades the Ikon Gallery moved from location to location until 1997 when it bought, with aid from the National Lottery Fund, its current premises, the former Oozells Street Board School. In the last few years the Gallery has held a selection of exhibitions and its continual ability to excel has led it to become surprisingly popular, so much so that it opened a second gallery in 2006, Ikon Eastside in Digbeth.

If you are thinking about taking a short break in the city of Birmingham we hope that this article has interested you so much that you will be visiting the Ikon Gallery. Also it is important to know that although there are many Birmingham hotels finding bed and breakfast in Birmingham can every now and again be pretty difficult. It is because of this that it is crucially important to book your accommodation at the earliest opportunity. You should be aware that Birmingham’s international airport is roughly eight miles away from the the city center just off the A45, near the M42. You will will be able to find a number of hotels not too far from the airport.

If you are planning to stay in bed and breakfast accommodation in Birmingham you may be interested in our listings of accommodation close to the Ikon Gallery

Glasgow – City Of Glasgow Is One Of The Grandest Of All Cities In Europe

December 9th, 2009 No comments

The city of Glasgow is the third most populous city in all of the United Kingdom and the largest city in Scotland. Located in the west central lowlands along the River Clyde Glasgow is one of the most historic cities in all of United Kingdom. Glasgow originated as the home of the archdiocese of Glasgow. This originated with the reign of David Prince of the Cumbrians but it is believed that the earliest bishop in the archdiocese of Glasgow were the appointees of the Archbishop of York during the 11th century.

Glasgow played a major role in the Scottish Enlightenment in the 18th-century. The Enlightenment period involved a large number of intellectual and scientific accomplishments. During this Enlightenment Scotland became one of the most literary countries in all of Europe. It became the norm for Scottish citizens to become literate. In fact it is believed that over 75% of all citizens were, literate in 18th-century. This is a staggering number in comparison to other countries at the time. The University of Glasgow played a huge role in the Enlightenment.

It was during the 18th century that Glasgow grew to become one of the major trading hubs for trans-Atlantic trade between Europe and the Americas. Further growth within the city of Glasgow occurred as a result of the industrial revolution. During this period Glasgow became one of the worlds pre-dominate centers of engineering and shipbuilding. It was during this period that Glasgow became known as the second city of the British Empire. In current times Glasgow plays a huge role in financial and business segments of Scotland,

During this period Glasgow earned the title of the second city of the British Empire. Glasgow still plays a major role in the business and financial segments of Scotland today. This city is also one of the prime tourist destinations in the world.

In recent items Glasgow has become a major tourist destination for travelers from all over the world. One of the reasons for this is the grand structures that make up Glasgow’s proud architectural history. There are many structures in Glasgow that provide testimony to worlds long gone. One of the most visited of these structures is the Provands Lordship.

The Glasgow Cathedral, which stands in the center of Cathedral Square, was built in the same spot where the patron saint of Glasgow saint Mungo built his original church. Built before the Reformation this is an outstanding example of Gothic architecture.

The Cathedral of Glasgow is one of the few remaining Scottish medieval churches most of these churches were unroofed during the Reformation. This structure is just one of the reasons that Glasgow is recognized as one of the grandest cities in all of Europe to visit. Glasgow is truly one of the best attractions in all of Great Britain.

Find your next Glasgow hotel here.

16th Century UK Vacation Cottage

July 11th, 2009 No comments
by Olivia Parker

UK mainly consists of famous nations like England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland. All these kingdoms are pretty ancient and possess a very old background. In United Kingdom you have a number of accommodation options in terms of holiday cottages. There are a huge number of ancient holiday cottages in UK. These cottages are very much praised by the tourists because of the rich heritage they carry. These cottages are very old, but are very strongly built as they have sustained all kinds of climatic circumstances in these years.

I am going to list below, few of the best holiday cottages in UK that were build in around 16th Century:

1. Church Farm Cottage Church Farm is one of the best cottages located in a quiet street at St Briavels, balanced high on a limestone flat terrain and it seems like as if they are overlooking the River Wye which forms the heart of the very old Forest of Dean. Capably and compassionately reformed to a very high customary from a Grade II listed, 16th century hangar, Church Farm Cottage is positioned adjacent to the major farmhouse and forms one side of the yard of this beautiful and traditional smallholding.

There are walks in the whole region and tourists have straightforward contact across the owners’ land through forest onto confined bridle paths. The local region of this province also presents quite a large assortment of things. I must tell you that you will surely love this cottage and never feel like leaving this place after reading about its world class features and interesting background.

2. 16th century cottage in Perch National park This holiday accommodation is newly renovated with 33 acres of property. You will also an easy access to the Lounge with log burning stove and fully outfitted kitchen, shower room as well as bathroom with full central heating. It is considered as the perfect location for activities like cycling and walking. However this is quite a rustic locality and you will certainly find pin drop silence in this locality.

3. Wood cutters cottage Trust me that this is yet another cottage which is quite ancient and in fact it was built in the late 16th century. Due to the rich heritage this cottage carries you would love to stay here.

These are some of the best prehistoric holiday cottages in UK, which were built in 16th Century. Make sure you consider them as an accommodation option for you.

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Sun And Party Holidays To Magaluf

June 15th, 2009 No comments
by Dwain Garvin

If you are looking to have some great parties this summer or you are just looking to relax on sunny beaches with great weather every day or you are looking to indulge in various activities such as scuba diving and boat cruising, then holidays to Magaluf certainly has it all. One of the most popular resorts in the Mediterranean, Magaluf is famous for a number of reasons.

Firstly, Magaluf has a legendary nightlife with famous DJs from around the world coming to visit and play there. There are plenty of other functions on and a plethora of activities to indulge in. No matter what type of tourist are or what type of budget you are on, Magaluf is sure to have something to suit everyone.

However, Magaluf is certainly not restricted just a younger people. Having reformed itself in recent times, it has now become a more favourable family destination and has something to offer just about any kind of tourists regardless toward their age or any other factors.

You certainly won’t get bored in Magaluf. Majorca is also a very attractive island with plenty to see and do although you will find there is plenty to do in just the resort itself. The island also boasts one of the longest beaches in the Mediterranean. Prices are also very reasonable.

With just about every travel agency in the United Kingdom arranging packages to Majorca, you should have no problem finding great holidays to Magaluf. However, if you want to avoid the worst of the crowds, then you can go slightly off season but just remember the place entirely closes down in the winter so the best time to go is perhaps June and September. There are always many special deals on and you certainly don’t have to spend a great deal of money.

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Things to do in England

March 15th, 2009 No comments

The current economic climate has led people throughout the world to find cheaper holiday ideas. One of the United Kingdom’s greatest draws is the strength of the dollar against the pound. Below I have outlined a few simple ideas to help you gain the most from your holiday.

A simple fun activity for your entire family is to visit museums and luckily the United Kingdom is absolutely full of them. Even better, is the fact that many of them are owned by the government and therefore are totally free to visit. There’s an absolute wealth of knowledge to find and discover in the British Isles no matter what kind of culture you are looking for. This is represented in the very different historical and scientific museums that are available.

No matter where you visit though, you’ll want to be familiar with the wide range of bus companies that tour up and down the UK. These tours are a fantastic way to visit all the major tourist attractions around the cities. They’re comfortable and interesting too.

Many of the guides have lived in the city’s they operate for their whole lives thus they make the perfect guides. I’ve had the privilege of taking many of these tours and can quite honestly vouch for the expertise and professionalism of the operators.

England has a world famous train system too, in fact, many believe the trains in the UK were some of the first ever developed. Plenty of them operate still today; the Colne Valley Railway located in Essex is an especially excellent rail service. The sights and smells of the countryside are a true joy to behold as you ride the line. It’s relatively cheap too and well worth a day out. The refreshments you can buy off the trolleys are delicious too.

There are some fantastic theme parks and marking them as well, the most famous and clearly greatest of them all is Alton Towers. Alton Towers feature some of the most advanced rides in the world the oblivion and Air are truly amazing. Plunging 200 metres into a deep underground tunnel makes the entire visit worthwhile. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself unable to scream though, it takes the breath away and leaves you quaking in your boots.

Another great family day out is attending a soccer match. Football, as they like to call it over there. For a seat at a top sides ground you can expect to pay around $40 to $50. The atmosphere and excitement of the crowd is worth every cent though. There’s nothing greater than celebrating a goal with crazy happy Brits.

As you can see there are so many cheap and reasonable events and attractions you can take part in while visiting England. Check with you local tour operator for more great offers, and remember sometimes the best things really are free!

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